Marvel Legends Action Figures: The Black Knight, Captain America, and Bucky

The Black Knight was here in time for Christmas, but the other two didn't arrive until today. I was almost ready to say that Hasbro seemed to be hitting its stride with regard to its figures, that this series seemed so much better than those that had gone before. But I'm not saying that quite yet.

I like the Black Knight figure a lot. He comes with a sword and shield that look great and make for some excellent poses. He himself is wonderfully posable. The articulation is less than it was--no hand or toe joints, but decent arm and leg motion and swivel wrists and ankles, a swivel waist (although not much capacity for bending at the waist either by waist or by hip) and a good deal of head motion considering the shoulder armor. Ths costume looks great, the helmet doesn't come off but also looks wonderful. He's just a great-looking, very playable figure that stands up easily on his own. Yes, the articulation is far less than it was with the original Marvel Legends figures, but I can't bring myself to mind that because he is just so awesome. I'm very happy with him.

I am likewise thrilled with the 40s-era Captain America figure. I was really torn about asking for him, since I already have a Cap, but that one is awfully hard to play with and this one looked so good in the pictures. And I'm glad I did get him. Again, considerably less articulation in this figure--no finger or toe action, for example--but very posable despite that. Good head motion, good arm and leg movement, swivel wrists, ankles and waist. The costume is wonderful--he has the pointy shield, of course, but also the skullcap headgear instead of the cowl. The scale mail is incredibly detailed. He stands well and is nicely posable. I have to say that I like him a lot better than I do the other Cap in the collection.

So I was about to say that it looks like Hasbro has found their way with regard to these figures, and that if what it took was a little less articulation to avoid seeing anything else like anorexic Emma Frost, that was fine with me. However, that was before I opened the Bucky figure.

The Bucky figure seems to use much of the same body mold as the Young Avengers' Patriot figure; if so, it looks much better on Eli. This figure is, well, scrawny and gangly, with a tiny head and sloped shoulders, and not athletic at all. Yes, he's supposed to be a kid, but he's also about as tall as the Cap figure, so the proportion is way off. (I suppose I'm disappointed, in part, because I figure this might be as close to a Winter Soldier figure as I ever get. :)) He doesn't look like the young boy of the Golden Age comics or the fit 16-year-old Brubaker suggests.

On the plus side, the costume isn't bad. And he's decently articulated, including toe and finger joints. He is reasonably posable and playable, although because the figure isn't all that attractive it's hard to find a pose that looks anything like what you'd see in the comics. Still, it's cool that they made him, and I suppose I should hope for the Original Torch and Toro to come out sometime!